Passengers departing the UK, and aged 12 to 15, are exempted from the UK Air Passenger Duty (APD) Tax, effective 1 March 2016. We are currently updating our system to reflect this change. Passengers booking online can request an APD Tax refund by contacting the local reservations office or Global Contact Centres.

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Haikou, China

Haikou guide

Haikou's inviting beachside location has attracted residents from all over the world who appreciate its laid-back, relaxed atmosphere. Its streets are filled with mouth-watering aromas from morning to night, as different food stalls open and shut throughout the day. You're certainly in no danger of going hungry with this array of delicious food on offer.

1/4Night time is the best way to view this tropical megalopolis
Photo: Getty Images

2/4It's easy to explore Haikou and the surrounds with the high speed railway link
Photo: Imaginechina

3/4Zip along the Chinese countryside as you travel from Haikou to Sanya
Photo: Imaginechina

Things to do

Things to do

We've chosen the must-see highlights of this fantastic city.

See

Zhong Lou

One of Haikou's most recognisable buildings, the Zhong Lou, a red brick, Gothic-inspired clock tower erected by a group of merchants in 1928, has kept citizens in good time and still keeps remarkable time today, chiming every half-hour.

Location

Haihou Children's Park, Longhua District

Do

Five Officials Memorial Temple

Over the centuries, Hainan Island has played host to highly distinguished – if somewhat reluctant – guests, including banished writers and political reformers. Located amid manicured gardens just south-east of the city, the Ming-era (1368-1644) Five Officials Memorial Temple commemorates officials once exiled to Hainan, with an adjacent temple honouring poet Su Shi.

Hainan is known for its "four famous dishes" – Wenchang chicken, Dongshan mutton, Jiaji duck and Hele crab – each named after its village of origin. A good place to savour Wenchang chicken in Haikou is Fule Chicken Restaurant, which has four branches.

Located 15 kilometres south-west of Haikou and accessible by rented bicycles, the Shishan Volcanic Cluster National Geopark covers about 11,000 hectares. The UNESCO-listed park includes more than 40 dormant volcanoes. At the Maanling Crater Scenic Area, visitors can descend into one of the largest craters. There's also a chance to glimpse lava-rock formations, volcanic tunnels and, thanks to the rich, fertile volcanic soil and Chinese agricultural traditions, glimmering terraced rice fields.

Location

45 Fengjing Road, Shishan Town, Xiuying District

See

Tomb of Hai Rui

The tomb of Hai Rui is dedicated to a famous exile who is remembered as an upstanding government official. It was built in 1589 on a plot of about half a hectare. Today it is rated as a key national cultural relic preservation of Hainan Province.

Location

39 Qiu Hai Da Dao

See

Village of Rongtang

The 900-year-old village of Rongtang is situated near the entrance of a lava cave system, where homes, walls, roads, shrines and tombs are all made from volcanic rock. A highlight is the ruins of the Rufu Pagoda, one of Hainan's oldest structures, built entirely of volcanic rock in a style more common to India.

Location

North of Shishan Town

See

Hainan Provincial Museum

To get an overview of the island's history and culture, visit the Hainan Provincial Museum just east of Hainan's Cultural Park. Exhibits include dioramas depicting village life of earliest Hainan civilizations and relics recovered from the shipwreck of Huaguangjiao One, a Song Dynasty (1127-1279) Chinese merchant vessel discovered in 1996.

North of the main Shishan park is Shishan Town and the Seventy-Two Cave Lava Tunnel Protected Area. The lava tunnel measures 20 metres wide by 15 metres high and is hundreds of metres long. Nearby are several ancient villages with buildings made largely of volcanic rock, including a five-storey watchtower in Meishe Village. It was built as a defence against bandit raids and later took on damage by artillery fire during the Japanese invaders, marks that are still visible today.

Passengers departing the UK, and aged 12 to 15, are exempted from the UK Air Passenger Duty (APD) Tax, effective 1 March 2016. We are currently updating our system to reflect this change. Passengers booking online can request an APD Tax refund by contacting the local reservations office or Global Contact Centres.

Booking of more than six passengers is currently not available online. Please contact your local reservations office.